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I have a feeling that the Dogs are gonna go big on this one. All the factors are with us. We beat the Titans well last year and we have the phsycological advantage. Titans have some big boppers they may tire and our smalle faster ans stronger forwards amy run them around and p[em them up. We...

I don't read too much into the trials. But I am hoping that we expand on our first team and mix it up by blooding a few young players like Todd and Fifita. Even Zane whatever his name is tough guy. If Sitilli's injured then throw in Zane and give him a go. Theres enough experienced players...

Yes I have been gunning for this for a while. I reckon its a perfect fit and destiny lol. He is a Bulldog at heart and at his best he can be a wrecking ball. He has good size and balance and most important agression. When harnessed like for NSW he is a beast. I think his period under Hasler...

You know I would not mind if we don't put our complete first grade side in and still run with a few young players to give them more experience and see if any stand out. I reckon we could handle it. We have trained the combinations and will continue where we left off last year. A rest will be...

I reckon his best position is edge. When he was at the Warriors he use to score a few tries playing edge. He's very mobile and runs lines and backs up well. He can run like a back and he is pretty strong. He is better playing a bit wider of the ruck as he can get through gaps. But in saying...

Amone needs more time to get use to the NRL level of footy compared to superleague. It was his first preseason and so he will be a bit behind others who have had a couple of seasons under Ciraldo. But I think he will become more solid as the season progresses. Will be a great asset to have come...

Great asset considering his ability to play back row and center. Will eventually make a great bench utility or may even establish himself as a first choice second rower similar to Aitken or Bird.

Wow I didn't know that about Bailey. I remember that incident. I also remember reading that Hayes had a grand dad who played for us. This is great that we are bringing in next generation Bulldogs. But also spotting great young talent like Hayward and Preston. We are back to our good old ways...

Ok well he's still got the DNA lol.

Yeah I couldn't find one from the back. Actually found one. Yeah your right. I didn't watch the game but I wonder if the Dogs management are aware. I am sure they have a contingency plan. Or the Raiders will. Maybe they wear their home jerseys. I am sure theres another version. Clubs have about...

I noticed the Bulldogs have a young Jed Reardon on the bench the son of Steve Reardon who played in the 90s. Now we have two sons of Bulldogs in Kurtis Morrin and Jed Reardon. https://www.bulldogs.com.au/news/2025/02/11/pre-season-challenge-week-2-team-news-bulldogs-back-for-2025/ 1 Blake...

Ok so a few of last years young players came through like Hayes, Hayward, Todd and Hopoi. Lets hope we get a few new ones like Daman Marshall and Logan Spinks. I would like to see that new half Cassius Tia play.

You mean this one as opposed to I can see them getting mixed up when dirty and like you said from different angles or maybe in tackles when theres a few in the ruck. I notice that Woods is wearing a home jersey and funny enough the lookalike is the Raiders away jersey. So the two will be...

Yeah I think that is what is needed to win the comp. I keep referring back to the 80s when the Dogs had two good sets of forwards. But always managed to find good young players to fill in. I remember some young country kid Mathew Calinan scored a double on debet in a semi I think. One palming...

I forgot Tupouniua can play center. What a great buy. Imagine Critta and Sitilli coming at you. Yeah but I don't count forwards who can play front or back row. I mean the utility that would normally be no 17 on the bench. I think we will have a log jam and won't be able to fit them all in...

Yeah theres probably some of that. But I also think they are smart in that they have to keep spotting young players and developing them so they always have another Slater and Smith all the time. They get a few young players liker Katoa, Blore, Loiero, Howarth, even Meaney and turn them into...

Wow Sutton on bench. Kind of forgot about him. Maybe he will come in handy and can be counted as another solid forwardto call on. Injust has hampered him and may if fit he will do OK in our new look team. I don't think he has played with the new team yet has he. Our best back row has to be...

People keep forgetting how young Sexton is. He was virtually the same age as Woods when we picked him, up and was having a pretty good debet season with the Titans at the age of 20. I think there were too many expectations and we have not seen the best of Sexton yet. He would be coming into...

I think as the Dogs went off the rails so did some of the cheer and hope. Though fans never gave up their were a little down that there was no hope on the horizon at one stage. But theres nothing like a revival to bring them back out again bigger and better than ever.

I am loving what the Bulldogs are doing with spotting young talent and bring them in to supplement our local players. Its a perfect mix and similar to what we use to do with bringing young country players and developing them like the Mortimers, Gillespie and Potter ect. We are lucky we have...

He may get a run though as he has played a game for the Warriors I think. So its not beyond him to get at least one game to see how he goes. Its the perfect environment for him with our team not finalised for some spots. Its up to him as he is just coming into an age where players will be...

It seems Woods has come from nowhere and risen pretty fast. Virtually comes into the lower grades help leads the club to a GF win and a follow up GF appearence and now in the top 30. This kid must be good and one of our best prospects for years. He is 19 in a couple of months and other greats...

I think the footy fans don't have much else. Especially in the north where the mines closed and theres high unemployment. Its so cold and miserable so the hopes and dreams of their footy team becomes everything. Though I remember F1 was also big especially when Damon Hill was all the rage...

I lived in England for 8 years and had a chippy in the north in Chesterfield Derbyshire. I was from Sydneys west Punchbowl so far away from the suburbs. But I seen the passion people had for their soccer teams. Chesterfield was in div 1 and when local games were played they had to shut down the...

Thats what I think. At least see how our players go this season and then make an assessment. If Fifita comes good then we are more or less set. Maybe another young gun like Pahulu. I remember when we won a GF we had around two sets of 1st grade level packs. players like Brohman, Gould, Jim...

Yeah hes good as well. A bit of a cult hero so would do well at the Dogs.

I agree but if we were going for someone like Molo as a stop gap experienced mid then there are others who I think are at that level I think that may become available. I know we have tried this before with Tetevano, Knight and Faamausili and it didn't work out. But other solid players of Molos...

Its understandable that Amone will be less fit coming from Superleague. Him and Fifita will benefit from a full preseason with the Dogs. I would expect they will be fitter than they have ever been for some years if they get through a CC preseason and with O'Meley and Mason on their backs.

Heres a list of props off contract this year and could become available during the season if they fall out with their club or are not making first grade. Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Mat Croker, Iszac Fa'asuamaleaui, Viliami Fifita, Wiremu Greig, Thomas Hazelton, Jack Hetherington, Jaiyden Hunt, Corey...

Ah don't you love it. Just like any extended family. You can't live with them and you can't live wthout them lol.

I would have thought Balmain Tigers would have been higher for the Bulldogs to hate for pretty similar reasons to Parra. They were our arch rivals through the 80s as well. Dragons was the other arch rival from the 80's except we hate them at around 10% and they hate us at 15%. The Tiger fans...

Yeah I think it was his Bulldog heart pulling him back to the Dogs. He would have done great at the Warriors and just the type of manager they need. But thats a bigger job I think. I agree that people forget the move to make the needed changes at the Dogs was already underway before Gus came...

Yeah I don't think he understood the Bulldog culture or footy for that matter. Trying to make it a business rather than a footy club. Castle wasn't any better and it was a low period in the wilderness with false hope. Poor old Pay and Dymock were thrown in the deep end. But that became the...

In thinking about it Wilson has the best potential and is homegrown. We know what Montoya will offer and he will not let anyone down and may even become a bit of a takle busting winger like Marchew. But he is predictable. Wilson has speed and can break tackles but he is also ellusive.

I think we have taken a step up beyond last season now with the new recruits. Thats at least two more forwards in the rotation. So someone has to give. Hayward is a utility that can play lock, hooker and half. He is good and is the type of player you can mold into a solid ultilty. But now we...

Yeah thats what I was more or less saying that he can get back to the footy rather than all this other stuff as when a player is committed to footy and the team that means their head is in the right place. Thats one of the benefits of a sports team as it teaches you about life, responsibility to...

Yeah it was not good. The Dogs sort of contributed to that by defending him way back when he was first getting into trouble. I know we pride ourselves on being the family club and stick together but you have to draw the line. The Fox was a prime example of how far we have come in steeling up our...

Na I think he is beyond the Bulldogs now. Too much water under the bridge. Barba never had that Bulldog heart. He couldn't put the team before himself. I hope he does well and recaptures some of that form even if its in a feeder team.

I worked out why I could not remember Silver that much. I was in England and we couldn't get the Australian League. It may have occassionally been on late at night but I ended up getting into soccer and followed Man united lol. When oh ah Cantana was playing lol. And Gazza for Newcastle I think...

Yeah I think we have better backup this year. We had a few holes in our backup forwards last year with Knight, Patolo, Tetevano ect. Now these are replaced by decent players who are either established NRL or are from our development and are potential NRL. If they are anything like Preston, Hayes...

Yeah I am liking the looks of Todd. I didn't realise he was so tall. Maybe not quite as solid. I think maybe you highlighted the issues slowing him which is defense and fitness. If he is over his injury then I think CC can develop him with defense and fitness. He is in the best place for that...

So he is around 34 years old. If he was to make a comeback it would have to be this year or next. If he is serious and over his past then its possible and would be good to see as his career has been cut short. Maybe as a Reynolds type player or off the bench as a utility.

The Dogs are on the rise and whether thats a GF win is hard to tell yet. I don't think they are quite there yet and thats a fair evaluation considering they are building and not buying a comp. Its a 5 year plan and I think the expectation is by the end we will be GF ready. Anything short of that...

Lol that was a pretty quick drop from glory. Oh well at least he is back playing footy. He will do well. Will he be able to get a call up into maybe Cows or even Dolphins if hes eligable.

Yeah someone pointed that out earlier. I was under the impression the Bulldogs made him he was that good. I think he was not as recognised as others at the time. Or maybe I just didn't pay attention to fullbacks apart from the ones like Garry Jack, Belcher and even Potter who I always heard about.

OK yeah when you consider that Gus and CC have been brilliant in their management and planning so far and getting the right type of players you would think that it would be going against the obvious that Critta was one of the best centers in the game and fullback was an unknown and risky move...

I reckon around 5th or 6th. I think we will be good enough to make the 8 again and make it into the homeground playoffs in 5th or 6th. We will be as good if not better than last year but because we are no longer going to be taken lightly we will face more competition and have closer games...

Ok so why did they say he was signed as fullback. I remeber hearing some news from Belmore that Critta was going to be training at fullback but as he was limited in his training Taaffe filled in.

Wow I didn't know Barba was back in the NRL. Will he get the chance to play again.

Yeah he did show flashes of good form like he was showing in NSW cup. I think theres potential and we shouldn't give up on him yet. If he can duplicate his confidence and ability in NSW cup he will be great. Maybe he needs a bit more weight and work on his defence and he will be ok. But its good...

We got Patten when he was 21 when he had only player 2 years with the Dragons and 1 with Illawarra Steelers. By the time he starred for us in the 2004 GF he had played longer for us than for the Dragons. But I have to say I did not realise Rod Silver was with the Roosters so long. It seems we...

But they were relatively unknown and young and we made them into Bulldogs. We have done that a lot (Bulldogs born and bred). Andrew Ryan was from Parra juniors I think. The Smiths brothers, Ennis as well. Barba was from north Qld and so was Thurston. We should have kept Thurston lol. But just...

Ok no you may be right. Maybe its his take off speed but he is still quick over longer distances. In that case he may work out. If he has speed to go with his halfback footy brain then he may do well as halves or 5/8 seem to transition between the two positions. If theres anyone that will fix...

So you don't reckon its an option at any time. Didn't he play fullback internationally a couple of times. Or was that Kiraz. I know he has played there a few times. But your right I think his best position is center. His defense and presense is the best in that position. He can be all over the...

Yeah the old bridge was pretty low to the water and git a bit wonky. Now they have two cement bridges going each way. Posh hey lol. Still a long bridge. I get bored and start looking out over the mangroves and waterways dreaming of fishing and nearly veer off the road its that long. They...

That's true. Though from what I have heard Tracy is pretty good at fullback so far. You have to remember the Dogs have never really had an elite fullback. Patten, Silver and Potter were bred by the Dogs and not in the top 5 fullbacks when they made their debuts. Tracy may lack a bit of speed...

Yeah its nice scenery wise but theres a few snobs that have moved in from outside. Its also getting busier with traffic and you can't move on the waterfront on weekends. Like Shorncliffe when I first came these areas were relatively undiscovered and they were like secret places you could go...

Maybe jogging from Clontarf to Scarborough where I live. Thats a fair hike. If Karl is not going to be available anytime soon shouldn't Gus replace him anyway. It seems strange to have a spot taken for what may be almost 2 seasons.The good think is players like O'Neil and Tia will be training...

Yes I notice he is tall around 186cm. Maybe thats the key that lighter players with power and agression to bend and break the line are now the go. They are faster and if they have power they are hard to stop as the defenders are always on the backfoot. In saying that Amone is 181cm so still over...

I think he has the potential as I have seen him play. At least in short stints he can do damage with his size and agression. Its really all up to him. CC will get him in shape and hopefully he is over his knee injury as that can be a setback for some players. I think its a matter of fitness so...

Another thing I noticed was that Amone and Sitilli are not big either. Amone is only 103kg and Sitilli 102kg. Not that this matters as they are pretty powerful. Like Fisher Harris and Leota were only around the same weight. Other mids like King, Sutton and Curran are all around 102kg or 103kg...

I'm not sure. But he was a Roosters junior I think but had a lot of competition ahead of him. When he went to Souths he was coming off the bench and played good and would have continued I think but for not getting injured. I kept my eye on him as I was playing NRL Fantasy at the time and seen...

My mum lived at Palm Beach near Titans and I sort of followed them as my second team. Even the Cows with Thurston were ok. Any Qld side but the Broncos lol. But I like the Dolphins club and I use to work at the community center which was the old Dolphins club in the Redcliffe showgrounds. I...

It seems from what I have been reading or reading into whats being said is that Oloapu may be leaving for Qld and the Phins. Evidently his family is living up here in Redcliffe where I live. In that case we can get on with adding another in house player to our squad. Maybe O'Neill, Logan...

Ah Redcliffe is where I live. Only down the road from the Dolphins club lol. I kind of don't mind the Phins if I have to go for a Qld side being a boy from Bankstown.

lol yeah thats always been a ?. There has not been many good halves on the market in the last couple of years. Only Hunt and Luai stand out. Maybe Townsend and Llias. But I think we are probably in the same boat as most teams where they have to look at internal development. We have Woods and a...

Ok thats not good. Well good for Underhill and Todd and its good we have backups that are home grown. But we need to get rid of laggers if thats the case. But then I would expect DSF to be lagging as he has never done a pre season with us and hardly played any footy last year. So we will be...

If anyone will get the best out of Amone it will be the Dogs under CC. He will be in peak fitness come round 1 and should make 1st grade. He is better than the duds we have had in the past like Tetevano, Knight, Sutton, Patolo and Poasa.

Does any know whats going on with Daniel Suluka-Fifita. Whether he is over his injuries and on track to make his debut for us this season. Whether he is in contention for a first grade spot. I sure hope so because a fit and rearing to go Fifita will be massive for us now that we have Sitilli...

For some reason I am thinking Montoya. I think being on the end of our new improved team and that we have been focusing on attack with slick passing and speed I have a feeling that the wingers are going to be scoring a lot. But the thing about Montoya is he has a fair amount of speed but also...

Yeah I think so. His best position is probably 5/8. The Phins have been struggling with their halves and I could see a Katoa and Oloapu future combo. Oh well it is what it is and if thats where his heart is then you can't stop a player moving on. Sometimes circumstances dictate what happens...

After all our invbestment and support it would be a pity to not see KO play in our new team and to see how he goes. I reckon he would go great. He was pretty good in our old side that had no momentum. In fact when Karl came on you sort of got excited that something might happen. He already...

I always think comps are earn't and they rarely come to a team that was out of contention then suddenly wins the comp. But if it ever did happen it comes from a team that wanted it more, case in point the Cows over the much better rated Broncos. The Dogs are earning their comp win and its taken...

I'm loving this Bulldogs. Bugger going for big names like Haas and AFB or even May who is not a Bulldog at heart. Spotting great young players who will be the next mighty Bulldogs is the name of the game. That's what we use to do and Gus remembers the secret reciept of making Bulldogs. With CC...

Ok I thought they were earmarked as future Dogs. But I don't think the current management would lose too many players that they think are worth keeping. The problem is another club comes along and gives a better deal. Roosters may have offered a better opportunity as there are a few young...

Now lets hope Fifita sees the writing on the wall as his contract runs out next year and will have a great season. That will be a bonus this year and give us two big powerful mids going into 2016.

The Raiders are wanting another mid so maybe they can take Sutton back.

Good mids have been few and far between. I remember looking at the good mids that actually changed clubs in the last couple of years and really theres only been Flegler, and Lenui last year. In 2025 so far theres been AFB, Utoikamanu, Fisher-Harris and maybe Terrel May who really has not...

This is what I am thinking. The Dogs have been picky with who they have signed and I think theres a strategy in building the team. In looking at Thompson I think hes the perfect size and style of player that can be molded into a solid front rower similar to say Fisher Harris or Leota and I...

Latest new we just signed Thompson. https://www.facebook.com/groups/576385784005783/permalink/1142748530702836/ Sorry if its already been stated but I got a little excited.

Yes and I think this is our development programs and especially the Mid development under O'Meley that is now producing good home grown backups instead of the old wood or someone elses efforts we were trying to buy which never really made it into NRL like Tetevano, Faamausili, Kautoga, Patolo...

But is it size or maybe smaller nippy players that can calve up the bigger players late in the game. I think forward power is needed even at the start but also during the game to assert control of the game. But then you lool at say the Panthers and they had small mids but they were powerful in...

Yeah and I think thats how they have planned it and its to our advantage. You can predict a team who has a big bench. You can either match it or exploit it. I think the games become faster and mobile and smaller forwards come into play more. I noticed the Titans had a 3 big b;ocls but probably...

I could imagine, to be so close and lose. I think if we would have won that I reckon we would have gone close to 5 comps in a row. I think that knocked the Dogs for a 6 and caused a bit of drama with management. But if we won it would have been celebrations and building for another defense. We...

Don't forget we lost Damien Cook as well. What a loss that was. On par with Thurston I reckon. Another thing I noticed during that time is we bought a lot of duds. Whether they turned out duds as some had potential or we didn't have the development structures in place but we burnt through a...

In saying there's no point in having Hayward with Mann and Curran do you think that may allow for Fifita. Say have Curran at lock with Mann on the bench as utility with two mids and a back rower on the bench ie Sitilli, Amone and Fifita. Maybe for certain games where we need more forward power...

He will and will be a better player for it. I reckon we will see his best footy. The Super league I don't think has as high a level of fitness. But Amone is a good player and any player who gets peak fitness will benefit.

Yeah I reckon what we have now is just about right for where we should be at as part of a 5 year plan. I would be surprised that we would win the comp by year 3 of a plan and that would be one of the great comebacks in modern times. Not that we have not already gone beyond expectations. Gus...

Was that the year Gillespie got his finger cut off as a garbage man on the back of the truck lol and was ruled out of the GF. I remember it was around that year and everything seemed to go wrong.

Yeah. Well Hasler really discovered Lane. His brother Brett also played for us. If he would have persisted and something I think the present Bulldogs would do Lane would have been the better option. Hasler was a good coach but he had a tendency to panick buy trying to get instant results...

Yeaqh it was round 22 and just before the finals. We played them again in the grand final qualifier and smashed them again 26 nil. It was a great period of domination between us. But then they came back in 86 and scrapped home. We should have won. But it shows that we matched the great Parra...

Can't disagree with that. A few good ones miss out. Vagana was good but I think Chris Mortimer and Farrar were solid through the years. Vagana did have that extra bit of speed and power. I agree with O'Meley, he is like your modern day Peter Kelly and better. Though Price was up there with the...

Yeah I forgot that was a great pack throughout that period. Graham and Klemmer, who would want to argue with them lol. I think Graham was in the old Dogs of War mold. Having big Kasiano, Tolman and even Marty Taupau as backup made a great prop rotation. Having Pritchard, Eastwood and T Rex made...

I just checked and I am pretty sure its 1985 round 22 Bulldogs 19 against Parra 4. I found the video but its poor quality. Its actually at Belmore and you can see the big dirt patch covering most of the middle of the ground. I remember that year we beat Parra a couple of times by big margins...

Yeah they were ruthless and once they got a time into the grind they then pounded teams into the ground where they were making mistakes or running one out and had no answers. But they could also put on a try as the entertainer factor was still there from the early 80's with Lamb and the Mortimer...

And don't forget Gus himself and big Man were part of that pack. Gus was a good playmaker and added a bit of unpredictability. Brohman was good off the bench. Warren Ryran use to take no name players and turn them into tuff uncompromising fowards. Players like Jim Leis, James Donnelly, John...

As the Bulldogs are rebuilding and strengthening up their pack as well as developing a few young players like Preston and Hayes I am looking at the past Bulldog GF packs for comparison. There were some great packs. I think the 2004 pack was up there Mark O'Meley Adam Perry Steve Price Andrew...

I'm not sure where you'd get a copy. Maybe the Bulldogs shop online. Its interesting I was looking at the team and they weren't big or were big name players. Just played as a team and were ferious in defence. But Lamb and Mortimer were the kings. They led the team. I though when Kelly got sent...

1) 1980 GF verses the Roosters. The first GF win for 38 years. There was a omen going around that adding the 1938 and 42 GF wins added up to 1980. So there was a lot of expectation of finally winning another GF. And boy did we deliver. We deserved it as we were the entertainers and the Brentnall...

Lol yeah I was going to mention him except he did not quite fit under new up and comers as good backups or potential good players we can rely on lol. But I actually think he is an asset as he is one of those inbetween players who can fill in and do decent job and then sometimes have a great...